South Cyprus Survey Shows Bias Against Turkish Cypriots

According to the south’s Cyprus Mail, research by the University of Cyprus Centre for Field Studies (UCYCFS) has discovered that there is still considerable bias towards Turkish Cypriots in education. In a survey carried out last month which questioned 501 Greek Cypriots over 18, it was discovered that 30% of Greek Cypriots did not want Cyprus school history books changed and 54% did not feel positive about the creation of mixed Greek and Turkish Cypriot schools.

The media in the south is promoting the positive side of this survey in that the results are better than they were in a similar poll in 2010. What isn’t discussed is the implications of so many Greek Cypriots not having a positive attitude towards Turkish Cypriots in their community.

This poll does not even talk about attitudes towards Turkish settlers living in a post-settlement Cyprus who, at a guess, would receive a massive negative response. Nor is it going to be representative of a post-settlement Cyprus if Turkish Cypriots are more than a tiny minority in southern communities.

In my opinion, this poll shows that the south is not ready for the integration of Turkish and Greek Cypriots and that a considerable minority would actively work against it. Compare this to the current situation in the north where there is relative peace for Turkish Cypriots who, again in my opinion, would be less than happy in a United Cyprus which would not fare any better than in did when it was last founded in 1960.

1 comment to South Cyprus Survey Shows Bias Against Turkish Cypriots

In my opinion, Dominic, sadly the south will never be ready for the integration of Greek and Turkish Cypriots. The idealistic dreams of people like Yiannis, where all Cypriots are brothers on a united island and peace would reign forever, are simply unrealistic. Passions inflamed by the church are evident in all parts of the south…I’d like a dollar for every time I’ve spoken with Greek Cypriots and heard the standard “Turkish dogs” vehemently spat out with serious emotion.

Nowadays, the Turkish Cypriots in the north don’t enjoy “relative” peace, they enjoy total peace, and one can only assume that any settlement would make some inroads into that totality.

Unfortunately, the Greek Cypriots are clearly unable to learn from history – they’d prefer to rewrite it. Without significant attitudinal compromise, and a serious paradigm shift by the church, there is absolutely no chance of an agreed settlement any time soon.